Transfer of surplus fire assets to new authority questioned

Councillor Alan Taylor wants the council to be compensated for its fire fighting equipment. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Alan Taylor has accused the Government of trying to "steal" council assets as rural firefighting services change hands this weekend.

The Whanganui District councillor's comments come as council decides what to do with the firefighting equipment which will soon be surplus to its requirements.

As of July 1, Whanganui District Council will no longer be responsible for rural fire fighting.

Instead it will be the responsibility of the new Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) which combines the current New Zealand Fire Service and rural fire authorities.

Council own several assets such as a smoke chaser (crew-response vehicle), a tanker, a utility vehicle, trailer and an older model quad bike.

It also had portable water pumps, dams, hoses, and other firefighting apparatus.

It is expected the assets will simply transferred over to Fenz in order to maintain the same service to the community.

"Fenz I have a feeling aren't willing to pay anything for them," council chief operating officer Bryan Nicholson told the property and community services committee.

He said there were several schools of thought around why it should be a simple transfer.

"The community has already paid for it through rates. If Fenz were to pay for them again, which is taxpayers' money, then they'll be paid for twice.

"At the moment those assets still remain with council until council decides whether they do want to sign them over to Fenz."

Mr Nicholson said keeping them on council books also meant it would incur depreciation costs.

But Mr Taylor said he had concerns about the process.

"What the Government is attempting to do here is steal our assets," he said.

"And the argument that the ratepayer has paid for them, therefore the taxpayer has paid for them - they are not the same thing."

The transfer has been endorsed at council committee level but will be considered by the full council on July 4.